Some of my fondest memories of living in Wichita have been at the Starlite Drive-in. The first time there, I went with my family when I was about nine years old; we brought lawn chairs to sit on, thick blankets to lay under, and tons of snacks to eat during the movies. While watching I remember seeing a thunderstorm forming in the distance and we left shortly after when it began to rain. To this day my mom describes that night as feeling like she was in a scene from the movie Twister with the lighting flashing in the background while the movie played. I am one of the few lucky ones who got to go to the Drive-in the last weeks it was open for the season. I went with my boyfriend the week before it closed for good, but at the time we were unaware of its fate.
The weekend of October 12th and 13th were the final days of the 2018 season. On the 13th of October, the owner dropped the bombshell announcement, going public with the news of the Starlite’s permanent closure. Many were devastated by the news because the drive-in meant more to them than just the entertainment it provided. The Starlite Drive-in provided Wichita with many benefits including a rich history, entertainment, and as well as providing Wichita with a uniqueness not many other cities can claim.
The Starlite Drive-in had been a part of the Wichita entertainment and social scene for sixty-five years. Over the passing decades, the drive-in endeared itself to multiple generations of adults, teenagers, and children. It had truly become a beloved Wichita landmark. Originally named The Rainbow Drive-in, it opened in 1953 as a one-screen outdoor theater (Aulbach). In 1974 it was renamed the Landmark Twin and unveiled its second screen (Riedl). It was then again renamed in 1988 to the name everyone knows it as: the Starlite Drive-in (Catlin). With its famous, infectious jingle no one could forget, “The Starlite Drive-in gives you more. Call 524-2424,” who could not love this place? It is heartbreaking to me to see such a historic location close because it means it is the end of an era.
The Starlite Drive-in had many owners; in a way, one could say it was passed down. When the drive-in first opened it was owned by Mrs. T. H. Slothower (Catlin). In 1998 Jim Goble bought the Starlite Drive-in. Jim Quick, who was the manager of the drive-in, helped Goble with running the theater. Together they owned and ran the theater until they both passed away in 2015 (Riedl). “[Chuck] Bucinski joined the Starlite’s management team in 2015. He said he anticipated Goble would one day retire, allowing him to take over the drive-in…When Goble died in December, his estate contacted Bucinski to ask if he’d be interested in taking over the theater” (Riedl). In 2016 Bucinski took over the business and was the last to own the drive-in.
The most prominent benefit of the drive-in was the entertainment it provided for many in Wichita. The drive-in played many current and popular movies that were screened in movie theaters such as the Warren Theaters. For example, the last movies to ever play at the drive-in were Crazy Rich Asians and Searching both having been recently released to theaters. Not only did locals get to see these popular movies, but they got to do so in the comfort of their cars. The best part of the drive-in was sitting in the back of the car with a whole bunch of blankets and snacks. Movie theaters are not the most comfortable places to see a movie unless one goes to the AMC Theater which has recliners instead of regular chairs. However, the AMC Theater just opened this year and is more expensive than the regular theaters.
Another reason why the drive-in was an excellent option for entertainment was its appeal to all ages. Not only did they play current adult movies, but they also ran popular children’s movies. To illustrate, the last children’s movies to play at Starlite were Smallfoot and The House with the Clock in its Walls. The drive-in was also a good option for parents who have children with disabilities, sensory issues, behavioral issues, etc. The drive-in allowed these parent to control the environment to fit their child’s needs. For example, if the child had sensory issues the parents could control the volume and keep them in the car away from people. In a regular theater, the child would be surrounded by people and the noise may be too loud for them to handle. Another benefit for parents was that the theater was outdoors. Parents would not have to worry about keeping their children quiet or bothering other people because they could control how close or how far they needed to be from other cars. Similarly, the drive-in was also good for those who did not want to be around children while at the movies. The only other option for these people is Warren 21. However, Warren 21 is quite expensive and moviegoers must be twenty-one years of age or older.
An additional benefit of the drive-in was its affordability. Not only could upper- and middle-class families go, but so could lower-class families who could not easily afford to take their kids to the regular theaters. Many times, the drive-in would do specials where it was only thirteen dollars a carload. This meant that many people who could fit in one car could go see three movies for the shared expense of only thirteen dollars. Even when the drive-in was not running this special it was still significantly less expensive than the majority of regular theaters. Most nights admission to the drive-in was nine dollars a person, which is admittedly more expensive than the Warren Theater’s seven dollars a person. However, for their nine dollars, customers were treated to three movies instead of just one.
Also, Starlite customers were allowed to bring in as many snacks as they wanted and there was no need to sneak them into the theater. At traditional theaters snacks are usually the most expensive part of the moviegoer’s experience and thus a major portion of the theater’s profit base. The ban on outside food is an industry-standard among traditional theaters. This prompts many customers to smuggle food into movies by hiding it underneath their clothes or in large bags. At the drive-in, however, there was no need to take such measures. Anyone could bring in food and not have to be dishonest in the process. Just the same, the Starlite provided in-theater food for its customers’ convenience. The menu included favorites such as hamburgers, hot dogs, pretzels, pickles, funnel cake, candy, and popcorn, as well as a variety of drinks. In keeping with its business model of providing value-priced family entertainment, all menu items were modestly priced.
Unfortunately, many family-friendly “mom and pop” landmarks like the drive-in have been closing down all over Wichita. When upper and middle-class families move into up-and-coming areas, small businesses and local shops often have to close. This is due to the tracking of these families, more specifically their disposable income, by large corporations. As these areas become more prosperous, the number of global and national entertainment and restaurant chains begins to increase. Regrettably, local small businesses cannot compete with these corporations and close. Ironically, the very reason so many of these families relocate is replaced by strings of AMC Theaters, Applebee’s, Wal-Marts, and the like. The results are the loss of so many of the places that have made Wichita special. Sadly, the drive-in is a prime example of this happening in Wichita.
The Starlite also provided Wichita a service not many other businesses can claim; it made Wichita unique. As of today, there are only four existing drive-in theaters left in Kansas. They are located in Kansas City, Dodge City, Kanopolis, and Paola (Cooper). The closest drive-in to Wichita is about an hour and forty-five away in Kanopolis. That is a long drive to go see a movie available to see here in town. Without the Starlite, Wichita just becomes another generic town. Not many places can say they have an outdoor theater anymore. Another reason the Starlight made Wichita unique was its age. It was a historic gateway to another time when things were simpler.
Not only was the Starlite Drive-in theater one of the last drive-ins in Kansas, but it was also among one of the few surviving outdoor theaters in the United States. Currently, there are only three hundred and thirty outdoor theaters still operating in America. Sadly, that number used to be much greater, about 4,000 or so (Barnes). With the rise in indoor theaters and online movies, drive-ins have slowly been losing popularity. The Starlite was said to have closed due to declining attendance. This may be partly true, however, many people regularly attended showings and supported the drive-in.
Unfortunately, not everyone cares about the cultural and historical value of places like the Starlite. For example, the owner. Bucinski’s main concern when it came to the drive-in was money. He had offers from a “‘conglomerate of investors …wanting to buy that property when it comes [up] for sale,’ according to J Marrell Cornwell, pastor at First Pentecostal Church, across the street” (Riedl). His reasonings for closing the Starlite were declining attendance, increasing film rental prices, and higher maintenance costs (Riedl). In other words, he was not making money. Therefore, it was not worth it to him to keep the drive-in open. Nevertheless, there were several options for Bucinski to save the drive-in had he so desired. For instance, he could have sold it to another company willing to keep it open. He also could have made smarter business choices such as budget cuts or better advertisements. In the last weeks of the season, there was a decent crowd at both screens of the Drive-in. So, how much of his reasoning for closing the drive-in was valid? Was any of it true or was Bucinski lying so he could make a quick buck?
Another issue with how Bucinski handled closing the drive-in was his mistreatment of employees. Employees were not notified of the drive-in’s closing till the last day of the season and Bucinski informed them by email. He gave no warning. As a result of this sudden news, many employees who worked at the drive-in were left without jobs. Usually, when businesses close they inform their employees ahead of time to allow them to find other jobs. Another issue with this is none of his employees were given severance pay. He informed them if they tried to contact him he would not respond (Riedl). He further informed them he had already “changed the alarm codes, so anyone who [had] door keys, there [was] no need to return them” (Riedl).
Bucinski intended on closing the drive-in for a long time. The property on which the drive-in was located could only be used for drive-ins and nothing else. In June of this year, Bucinski went to the city and filed for a zoning change. When asked why, he said it “was strictly for estate-planning purposes” (Riedl). He then reassured everyone by saying, “the Starlite is open, and will continue to operate as we normally do” (Riedl). By filing for the zoning change it allowed Bucinski to use the property “for a wide variety of industrial and commercial uses” (Riedl). Why would a drive-in need to be rezoned for industrial and commercial uses? Bucinski wanted to sell the property. According to Sedgwick County’s appraisal from this year, the Starlite Drive-in property is worth $560,810 (Riedl). His real reasoning for closing the drive-in all comes down to one thing: money.
Presently there is to be an auction on November 13 at 10:00 A. M. to sell many items at the Drive-in (Riedl). Unfortunately, if this auction occurs, Wichita may never get its beloved drive-in back.
“Rick Cohen who owns Transit Drive-in Theater in Buffalo, New York says he’s made an offer to the current owner to keep the drive-in open, something he feels the community deserves. ‘If the situation with the auction doesn’t change, we’re probably not going to be able to reverse what direction this is headed. I’m not going to be able not going to be able [sic] to replace the screens, I’m not going to be able to replace the equipment in the theater and it is going to make it impractical to open it as a drive-in theater,’ Cohen said” (KWCH12).
Luckily, after hearing the announcement of the drive-in’s closing many locals in Wichita have been trying to save the outdoor theater and stop the auction. On November 3 at 2:00 P. M. there was a rally at Chapin Park to save the Starlite. Many at the rally shared their memories and voiced their opinions about the drive-in’s closing. There have been several petitions online to save the drive-in as well. These are a great start, however, what are people in Wichita actively doing to change Bucinski’s mind about selling the drive-in?
The people of Wichita need to start prioritizing the places they deem important to their city. If they do not, these places may well end up like the Starlite Drive-in, Meads Corner, or the Pink Palace. Many people were upset by the closing of these institutions, but how much did they support these businesses? It all comes down to the support of the people along with the owner’s decisions. Sadly, the Starlite Drive-in has closed, but if the people want to stop the closing of many beloved businesses in Wichita they need to do something about it. The drive-in meant a lot to people besides providing entertainment and its affordability. It gave them memories they will never forget and that is why people loved the drive-in so much. It is certainly one of the biggest reasons why I and many of the people I know treasured this place so much. Like its jingle implies it gave us more than what we came for.
Works Cited
Aulbach, Ashley, “How Wichita’s Starlite Drive-in has Thrived Through the Years,” 360 Wichita. 14, April 2016. https://www.360wichita.com/blog/Local/Starlite-Drive-in.html. Accessed 22, October 2018.
Barnes, Susan B., “Drive-in movies theaters in (almost) every state,” USA Today. Published 15, July 2018. Updated 21, August 2018. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/america/fifty-states/2018/07/15/drive-movie-theaters-every-state/783883002/. Accessed 31, October 2018.
Catlin, Adam, “Wichita’s Star-Lite Drive-in Closed Permanently as of Oct. 13,” Wellington Daily News. 16, October 2018. http://www.wellingtondailynews.com/news/20181016/wichitas-star-lite-drive-in-closed-permanently-as-of-oct-13. Accessed 29, October 2018
Cooper, Austin, “The last 5 drive-in theaters in Kansas offer up a perfect Friday night,” Two Lane America. 19, April 2016. http://www.2laneamerica.com/last-5-drive-theaters-kansas-offer-perfect-friday-night/. Accessed 30, October 2018
“Rally held to save Wichita’s Starlite Drive-in,” KWCH12. 3, November 2018. https://www.kwch.com/content/news/Rally-held-to-save-Wichitas-Starlite-Drive-in–499518461.html. Accessed November 6, 2018.
Rebecca Sisler 